金剛般若疏 1.24.2

1.24.2

將非欲請國王太子、長者大臣及以婚姻者乎？ 』便問之曰：『長者今暮躳自執營如是事務施設供具，為欲請國王、太子、大臣者乎？ 』答言：『不也。 』又問：『欲設婚姻親戚會耶？ 』答言：『不也！ 』又問：『將何所作？ 』答言：『明日欲請佛及比丘僧。 』於時，須達聞佛僧名，肅然毛竪，如其所得，心情悅豫。 重問曰：『云何名佛？ 願解其義。 』長者答言：『汝不聞耶？ 淨飯王子厥名曰悉達，其生之日，天降瑞應，天神侍衛，即行七步，唱言：「天上天下！ 唯我為尊！ 」』須達聞說如是等好事，歡喜踊躍，感念信敬，於今夜即欲見佛。 於是，天為之明，便爾而去。 中夜出門見天祠，即為作禮，忽忘念佛心，於是曉還，更闇，自念言：『今夜闇，若我往者，要為惡鬼猛狩之所見害，且還入城，待曉當去。 』爾時，即有天空中見其欲悔，便下語言：『居士莫悔！ 我是汝昔善知識蜜肩婆羅門，因聞法故，得生天中。 汝往見佛，得無量利益。 正使今日得百車珍寶，乃至一四天下滿中珍寶，不如舉足至世尊所，所得利益過百千倍。 汝去，莫悔！ 』須達聞天說如此語，益增敬念。 於是在闇還得明曉，便爾尋路往至世尊所。 佛知爾時須達來，便出外經行。 是時，須達遙見世尊猶如金山，相好威容，嚴然昺著覩之心悅，不知禮法，直問世尊：『不審瞿曇起居何如？ 』世尊即時令就坐。 是時，首陀會天遙見須達雖覩世尊，而不知禮足，諸天即化作四人行列而來到世尊所，執佛足作禮，長跪問訊，右繞三匝，却住一面。 是時，須達見其如此，乃為愕然，而自念言：『恭敬之法，事應如是。 』即起離坐禮敬，問訊起居，右繞三匝，却住一面。 爾時，世尊即為說法：四諦微妙，苦空無常。 既其聞法歡喜，即證須陀洹果。 於是白佛：『唯願如來垂慈，臨傾舍衛大城中眾生，除邪就正！ 』世尊告曰：『出家之法，與俗有別，住止處所，應當有異。 彼無精舍，云何得去？ 』是時，須達白佛言：『世尊！ 弟子能起，願見聽許。 』世尊默然。 須達辭往，因白佛言：『還至本國，當造精舍。 不知揩法，唯願世尊使一弟子共往勅示。 』世尊思惟：『舍衛城內婆羅門信邪倒見，餘人往者，必不能辦。 唯舍利弗是婆羅門種，少小聰明，神通兼備，去必有益。 』即便命之，共須達往。 於是還到舍衛國，共舍利弗案行諸地，何處平博堪起精舍。 悉皆周遍，無叶意處，唯王太子祇陀有園，其地平正，其樹欝茂，不近不遠，正得處所。 時舍利弗告須達云：『今此園地，宜起精舍。 若遠作者，乞食難得； 近則憒鬧，妨廢行道。 』須達歡喜，到太子所，向太子言：『我今欲為如來起立精舍，唯太子園地可以宜用，願欲買之。 』太子笑曰：『我何所乏？ 此園茂盛，當用遊戲，云何欲買耶？ 』須達於是慇懃不已，太子聊復戲云：『卿若能以黃金布地，令間無空地，便當相與。 』須達於是恭諾載金布地隨價。 太子云：『我向戲言，何得便買？ 』須達白言：『太子之法，不應戲言； 而作妄語，非謂儲君，無堪紹繼。 』即共太子往詣斷事人所。 時首陀會天當為佛起精舍，恐諸斷事大臣偏為太子，則便化作一人為斷事者，語太子言：『夫太子者，不應妄語而有戲笑。 既已許賣，不宜中悔。 』遂斷園與須達。 須達歡喜，便得勅使人以象馬負金，布八十頃，須臾欲滿，唯殘有少地。 須達思惟：『當出何藏金足？ 不多不少當得滿足。 』祇陀問言：『嫌高買臺。 』答曰：『自念必何金藏可足，當滿之。 』祇陀念言：『佛必有大德，乃使斯人輕財乃爾。 』即語云：『齊是可止！ 勿更出金。 園屬卿，樹屬我，我自為佛造立門樓。 』須達歡喜，即便歸家，當施功作。

"Could it be that he wishes to invite the king, the prince, the elders, the great ministers, or hold a marriage feast?" He then asked him: "Elder, are you tonight personally busying yourself managing such affairs and setting out the offerings because you wish to invite the king, the prince, or the ministers?" He replied, "No." Again he asked, "Do you wish to hold a gathering of relatives for a marriage?" He replied, "No!" Again he asked, "What then do you intend to do?" He replied, "Tomorrow I wish to invite the Buddha and the saṃgha of monks." At that time, when Sudatta heard the name of the Buddha and the saṃgha, his hair stood on end in awe; as if he had obtained something [precious], his mind was joyful and delighted. He asked again, "Who is called 'Buddha'? Please explain the meaning." The elder answered, "Have you not heard? King Śuddhodana's son is named Siddhārtha. On the day he was born, auspicious omens descended from heaven, heavenly gods attended him, and he took seven steps at once, proclaiming: 'In the heavens above and beneath the heavens, I alone am supreme!'" Hearing of such wonderful things, Sudatta leapt for joy; filled with emotion, faith, and reverence, he wished to see the Buddha that very night. Thereupon, the heavens grew bright for him, and so he set out. In the middle of the night, coming out of the gate, he saw a heavenly shrine and bowed to it; suddenly forgetting the thought of the Buddha, the morning vanished and it turned dark again. He thought to himself: "Tonight is dark; if I go, I will surely be harmed by evil spirits and ferocious beasts. Let me return to the city for now, and I will go when dawn comes." At that time, a deva in the sky saw that he was about to turn back in regret, and descended to tell him: "Householder, do not turn back! I am your former good friend, the brāhmaṇa Mijian. Because I heard the Dharma, I was born among the devas. If you go to see the Buddha, you will gain immeasurable benefit. Even if you were to obtain today a hundred carts of precious jewels, or even a universe of four continents filled with precious jewels, it would not compare to lifting your foot to go to the World-Honoured One's place; the benefit obtained surpasses it a hundred thousand times. Go! Do not regret!" Hearing the deva speak these words, Sudatta's reverence and mindfulness increased all the more. Thereupon, the darkness turned back into bright morning, and so he followed the path to where the World-Honoured One was. Knowing that Sudatta was coming at that time, the Buddha went out to do walking meditation. Then Sudatta saw the World-Honoured One from afar, like a mountain of gold, his marks and signs and dignified bearing solemn and resplendently shining. Beholding him, his mind was delighted; not knowing the proper etiquette, he simply asked the World-Honoured One: "I wonder, Gautama, how is your well-being?" The World-Honoured One immediately told him to sit down. At that time, the Śuddhāvāsa devas saw from afar that although Sudatta beheld the World-Honoured One, he did not know to pay homage at his feet. The devas then transformed themselves into four people walking in a line, came to the World-Honoured One's place, grasped the Buddha's feet in homage, knelt to inquire after his health, circumambulated him clockwise three times, and withdrew to stand to one side. Then Sudatta, seeing them do this, was astonished, and thought to himself: "The proper conduct of reverence ought to be like this." He immediately rose from his seat, paid homage with reverence, inquired after his well-being, circumambulated him clockwise three times, and withdrew to stand to one side. At that time, the World-Honoured One expounded the Dharma for him: the four subtle and wonderful truths, suffering, emptiness, and impermanence. Having heard the Dharma and rejoiced, he immediately realized the fruit of a srotāpanna. Thereupon he said to the Buddha: "I only wish that the Tathāgata would bestow your compassion, deigning to visit the sentient beings in the great city of Śrāvastī, to eliminate the perverse and turn them toward the correct!" The World-Honoured One told him: "The ways of the renunciant are different from those of the secular, and the dwelling place ought to be distinct. There is no vihāra there; how could I go?" Then Sudatta said to the Buddha: "World-Honoured One! This disciple is able to build one; may you grant your permission." The World-Honoured One remained silent. As Sudatta took his leave to depart, he said to the Buddha: "When I return to my native country, I shall construct a vihāra. Not knowing the proper regulations, I only wish that the World-Honoured One would send a disciple to accompany me and give instructions." The World-Honoured One considered: "The brāhmaṇas within the city of Śrāvastī believe in perverse and inverted views; if anyone else goes, they will surely be unable to accomplish it. Only Śāriputra is of brāhmaṇa stock, has been intelligent since youth, and possesses both wisdom and supernatural powers; his going will certainly be beneficial." He immediately commanded him to go together with Sudatta. Thereupon they returned to the country of Śrāvastī, and together with Śāriputra inspected all the lands to see where it was flat and spacious enough to erect a vihāra. They went all around everywhere, but no place met their approval; only Prince Jeta possessed a garden whose ground was flat and even, whose trees were lush and verdant, neither too near nor too far, precisely in the right location. Then Śāriputra told Sudatta: "This garden ground is suitable for erecting a vihāra. If built far away, almsfood will be hard to obtain; if near, it will be noisy and disturb the practice of the Way." Sudatta was delighted, went to the prince, and said to him: "I now wish to erect a vihāra for the Tathāgata, and only the prince's garden land is suitable for use; I wish to purchase it." The prince laughed and said: "What do I lack? This garden is lush and flourishing, meant for my recreation; why would you wish to buy it?" Sudatta was ceaselessly earnest, so the prince playfully bantered: "If you can cover the ground with gold so that there is no empty space between, I will give it to you." Sudatta thereupon respectfully agreed to cart gold and cover the ground according to the price. The prince said: "I was merely speaking in jest just now; how can you buy it on that basis?" Sudatta said to him: "A prince's conduct ought not to be joking speech; to utter false speech is unworthy of an heir apparent, unfit to succeed [to the throne]." They immediately went together to the arbiters. At that time, the Śuddhāvāsa devas, intending that the vihāra be built for the Buddha and fearing that the arbitrating ministers would be partial to the prince, transformed into a person acting as an arbiter, who said to the prince: "A prince ought not to utter falsehoods and jest. Having already agreed to sell, it is not proper to regret it halfway." He thus awarded the garden to Sudatta. Sudatta was delighted, and was able to order people to carry gold on elephants and horses, covering eighty qing; in an instant it was almost filled, with only a small area of land remaining. Sudatta pondered: "Which storehouse of gold should I bring out to suffice? Neither too much nor too little, it must be just enough." Jeta asked him: "Do you begrudge the high price and wish to reconsider?" He answered: "I was considering which treasury of gold would suffice to fill it." Jeta thought: "The Buddha must possess great virtue to make this man hold wealth so lightly like this!" He immediately said to him: "You may stop here! Bring out no more gold. The garden belongs to you, the trees belong to me; I myself shall construct and erect the gateway for the Buddha." Sudatta was delighted, immediately returned home, and set to work.